The Musicians of Bremen — Jacob Grimm; Wilhelm Grimm

Seeking a new lease on life, four clever creatures make music and mischief in this elegant edition of an oft-told classic.

Once upon a time, Donkey, Dog, Cat, and Rooster, spurned by their owners, decide to set off to Bremen to make their way as musicians, each one according to his voice: Donkey a lute player, Dog a drummer, Cat a violinist, and Rooster a tenor. Along the way, the talented troubadours put on a show for a band of robbers who, it turns out, are in for a terrible fright. Thai artist Niroot Puttapipat takes one of the Grimm brothers' best-loved fairy tales and wryly retells it from the point of view of the animals. His stunning illustrations make this a unique edition to treasure. A compelling endnote mentions other historical versions of the traditional tale and explains why the author chose to set his narrative in the 1600s - an era that offered the chance to highlight some of the great musical composers of the time.